The Strand Critics Awards nominees

The Strand Magazine has announced its list of nominees for the annual Strand Magazine Critics Awards.

Authors S.A Cosby, Laura Lippman, and Dennis Lehane headline this year’s nominees for the Best Novel Award, while Jonathan Karp of Simon & Schuster receives the Publisher of the Year Award. Kathy Reichs and Max Allan Collins are both honored with Strand Lifetime Achievement awards.

Recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction and publishing, The Strand Critics Awards are judged by an ever-changing group of book critics and journalists. This year’s judges were chosen from Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, USA Today and The Associated Press.

The 2023 Strand Critics Awards nominees for Best Mystery Novel and Best Debut Mystery are …

BEST MYSTERY NOVEL

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)

Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper (Mulholland Books)

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane (Harper)

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Company)

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman (William Morrow)

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head (Dutton)

The Secret Hours by Mick Herron (Soho Crime)

BEST DEBUT MYSTERY

Fadeaway Joe by Hugh Lessig (Crooked Lane Books)

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon (William Morrow)

The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes (Dutton)

Don’t Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKanna (Sourcebooks Landmark)

Adrift by Lisa Brideau (Sourcebooks Landmark)

The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry (Atria Books)

Past recipients of Strand Critics Awards include Jane Harper, Attica Locke, Angie Kim, Alex Michaelides, Megan Abbott, Michael Connelly, and Laura Lippman.

Strand Lifetime Achievement and Publisher of the Year Awards

“It’s always the highlight of the year when the nominees are announced, and I can’t think of a more deserving group than the writers on this year’s list,” said Andrew F. Gulli, managing editor of The Strand Magazine. “Jonathan Karp, who receives this year’s Publisher of the Year Award, has created a culture at Simon & Schuster that is so supportive of authors and their works, and throughout his career has had an amazing knack for knowing just what to publish. I also have to say that both Kathy Reichs and Max Allan Collins have contributed so much to the genre. They are among the nicest and most professional people I have worked with, and they are so deserving of the Strand Lifetime Achievement awards.”

Kathy Reichs and Max Allan Collins Take Home Strand Lifetime Achievement Awards

“I am honored and delighted that Strand Mystery Magazine has selected me as a recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Reichs. “And I am humbled. To have my name included in the gallery of literary masters who have previously been recognized is astonishing and rewarding. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

“This is a lovely honour from the last magazine of its kind, much as I am part of a passing pulp breed,” said Collins. “My heroes included Chester Gould, Mickey Spillane, and Donald E. Westlake, later my mentors and friends. My love of movies culminated in the filming of my Road to Perdition. Nathan Heller, Quarry, and Ms. Tree are evidence of my love for detective fiction, much as the Antiques books written with my wife Barbara are of my love for her. I am lucky and blessed to make my living telling elaborate lies about humans at their best and worst.”

Jonathan Karp of Simon and Schuster Wins Strand Publisher of the Year Award

This year’s recipient of the Strand Magazine’s Publisher of the Year Award is Jonathan Karp, CEO, publisher, and president of Simon & Schuster. Throughout his time at Simon & Schuster, Karp has overseen an amazing boost in revenue, consolidated several imprints, and managed to navigate the world of digital publishing while ensuring that print books are still at the forefront of so much that S&S does. During his career he has frequently taken chances on books he believes in — that other editors might have passed up — and, more often than not, those chances have paid off in the form of critically acclaimed books that are also commercially successful.

“I’m grateful to the Strand for this honour, and to all of the great publishers who have taught me through the years, especially Kate Medina, Ann Godoff, Harry Evans, Jamie Raab, and Carolyn Reidy, as well as the authors who have made this work so satisfying, for so long,” says Karp.

Past recipients of the Strand Publisher of the Year Award include Dan Smetanka, Tom Doherty, Morgan Entrekin, Josh Stanton, and Bronwen Hruska.

2020 Strand Critics Award

The Strand Magazine announces nominations for the 2020 Strand Critics Awards:

Authors Attica Locke, Alex Michaelides, Don Winslow, Angie Kim, and Laura Lippman headline this year’s nominees for the Strand Critics Awards.

Walter Mosley and Tess Gerritsen will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Bronwen Hruska of Soho Press will receive the Publisher of the Year Award.

Recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction and publishing, the annual Strand Critics Awards are judged by a select group of book critics and journalists. This year’s judges include talent from NPR, USA Today, LA Times, and The Washington Post.

And the nominees are . . .

Best Mystery Novel (2019)

Big Sky by Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown and Co.)

The Lost Man by Jane Harper (Flatiron Books)

The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz (Harper)

Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman (William Morrow)

Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke (Mulholland Books)

The Border by Don Winslow (William Morrow)

Best Debut Novel (2019)

Scrublands by Chris Hammer (Atria Books)

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (Sarah Crichton Books, FSG)

One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski (Graydon House)

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Celadon Books)

Three-Fifths by John Vercher (Agora Books)

“This year’s panel chose a great lineup of nominees,” said Andrew F. Gulli, managing editor of The Strand Magazine. “It’s great to see a variety of books within the genre get represented. We have everything from traditional puzzle mystery and PI novel to noir and literary suspense, even a hospital mystery.”

Past recipients of Critics Awards include Michael Connelly, Laura Lippman, Richard Price, Megan Abbott, George Pelecanos, Joseph Finder, Lauren Beukes, and William Landay.

The Strand Magazine’s Publisher of the Year Award recognizes excellence in publishing…

This year’s recipient is Bronwen Hruska, publisher of Soho Press. An accomplished journalist and screenwriter, Hruska took the helm at Soho in 2010 and for the past ten years has overseen record growth, with scores of novels receiving critical and commercial acclaim.

“The characteristic of a great publisher is one who takes risks, who is never satisfied with the status quo, and most importantly someone who is dedicated to releasing works from a diverse set of authors,” said Managing Editor Gulli. “For over a decade, Hruska has done just that. She has been a fearless and tireless advocate for her authors, and they all love her.”

“Publishing is a labor of love, full stop. At Soho, we believe in every book we publish, every author. But to be recognized for that work—and by Strand Magazine, a leader in the crime fiction community—is truly an honor,” said Hruska. “Thank you Strand, and thank you to our wonderful authors who make our work not only meaningful, but quite joyful as well.”

The Strand Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Awards go to Tess Gerritsen and Walter Mosley.

In a writing career spanning several decades and multiple genres, Tess Gerritsen has stood

out as one of the most inventive practitioners of the medical thriller. Her series featuring Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles has been a staple of best-seller lists (also inspiring a hit TV show), and her books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

“When I was a child, my very practical father told me I’d never be able to support myself as a writer,” said Gerritsen. “But we storytellers are a stubborn bunch, and three decades into a writing career, here I am. Still writing. I’m thrilled by this honor, which proves that, yes, tenacity has its rewards.”

In 1990, the release of Devil in a Blue Dress marked the debut of Easy Rawlins, a clever, noble, and thoughtful private investigator in post-World War II Los Angeles. Author Walter Mosley earned plaudits for the novel, and for the past thirty years he has been compared to noir luminaries Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain. Mosley is the author of more than 40 books and his work has been translated into 23 languages.

“I want to thank Andrew Gulli and the critics that elected to give me this honor, adding my name to a list of names I greatly admire,” said Mosley. “The Strand itself deserves honors too for staying true to its mission in an age of media attrition, showcasing, engaging and amplifying the voices of writers who write in all the many forms this genre takes on.”

The Strand Critics Awards will be held virtually on September 4.

Thanks to Strand Magazine for the information.

2018 Strand Critic Awards

The Strand Magazine announced the winners for the 2018 Strand Critics Awards. Winners were announced on July 11 during “an invitation-only cocktail party in New York City, hosted by The Strand Magazine.”

 
Best Novel:
Wonder Valley, by Ivy Pochoda (Ecco)

Best First Novel:
The Lost Ones, by Sheena Kamal (Morrow)

Lifetime Achievement Awards: 
Jonathan Gash (aka John Grant), British creator of the antiques-focused Lovejoy mysteries;
and
J.A. Jance, best known for her J.P. Beaumont series and her Joanna Brady series. Both of those authors will receive their commendations during that same July 11 fête.

Publisher of the Year Award:

Tom Doherty of Tor/Forge books

Congratulations to All!

Thanks to the Rap Sheet for the information.

2018 Strand Critics Awards

The Strand Magazine have announced its nominees for the 2018 Strand Critics Awards.

Best Novel:
A Legacy of Spies, by John le Carré (Viking)
The Late Show, by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown)
Magpie Murders, by Anthony Horowitz (Harper)
My Darling Detective, by Howard Norman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Bluebird, Bluebird, by Attica Locke (Mulholland)
Wonder Valley, by Ivy Pochoda (Ecco)

Best First Novel:
My Sister’s Bones, by Nuala Ellwood (Morrow)
Quicksand, by Malin Persson Giolito (Other Press)
August Snow, by Stephen Mack Jones (Soho Press)
The Lost Ones, by Sheena Kamal (Morrow)
Lola, by Melissa Scrivner Love (Crown)
See What I Have Done, by Sarah Schmidt (Atlantic Monthly Press)

Winners will be awarded on July 11 during “an invitation-only cocktail party in New York City, hosted by The Strand Magazine.”

Lifetime Achievement Awards:  
Jonathan Gash (aka John Grant), British creator of the antiques-focused Lovejoy mysteries;
and
J.A. Jance, best known for her J.P. Beaumont series and her Joanna Brady series. Both of those authors will receive their commendations during that same July 11 fête.

Tom Doherty, publisher of Tor/Forge books, will be given The Strand’s Publisher of the Year Award.

Congratulations to all the nominated authors.

H/T Mystery Fanfare

Strand Critics Awards

The Strand Critics Awards, recognizing excellence in the field of mystery fiction, were judged by a select group of book critics and journalists. They were presented on 12^th July 2017 in New York City.

Best Novel 
The Trespasser by Tana French (Viking) 

Best Debut Novel: 
The Lost Girls by Heather Young (William Morrow)

Clive Cussler was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations to All!

Strand Critics Awards Nominees:

The Strand Critics Awards, recognising excellence in the field of mystery fiction, were judged by a select group of book critics and journalists.

Best Novel 
You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott (Little, Brown and Company)
The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Company)
The Trespasser by Tana French (Viking) 
What Remains of Me by Alison Gaylin (William Morrow)
Out of Bounds by Val McDermid (Atlantic Monthly Press)
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (Gallery)

Best Debut Novel
The Widow by Fiona Barton (NAL)
IQ by Joe Ide (Mulholland)
The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell (Touchstone)
A Deadly Affection by Cuyler Overholt (Sourcebooks Landmark)
The Homeplace by Kevin Wolf (Minotaur)
The Lost Girls by Heather Young (William Morrow)

Clive Cussler will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The awards will be presented at an invitation-only cocktail party in New York City, hosted by The Strand on July 12, 2017. Congratulations to all the nominees.